Swimming boards



May 31,, 1955 J. E. MUNM SWIMMING BOARDS Filed April as, 1952 United States Patent SWIMNLING BOARDS Joseph E. Munn, Costa Mesa, Calif.

Application April 18, 1952, Serial No. 282,927

4 Claims. (Cl. 9-21 This invention relates to swimming boards, and more particularly to a swimming board or diving board, to be used by a swimmer, and which can be held in such a manner that he can raise and lower the forward or advancing edge thereof, as it is towed, for the purpose of pulling the swimmer down under the water, or pulling him to the surface, thus making it possible for a swimmer to so manipulate the swimming board as it is towed through the water that he will be pulled down under the water or pulled to the surface.

Among the salient objects of the invention are: To provide a swimming board with means for towing it much as a surf board is towed, and with means for rocking or tilting it at the will of the swimmer, whereby to carry the swimmer down under the water or to raise him to the surface, it being understood, of course, that the swimmers body extends rearwardly from said board and that he so grasps said board that he can easily tilt the front edge thereof up or down as he desires; to provide such a swimming board with hand grips between the front and rear edges thereof, and with arm connection with the rearward portion of the board, that he can easily tilt the front edge thereof up or down, as desired; said hand grips being so positioned that he can use both hands, or only one hand, and at the same time balance the board as to the opposite ends thereof, it being understood that said board is towed by its opposite ends and moves laterally through the water, rather than endwise; to provide in combination with such a swimming board a small box or container for articles which the swimmer may pick up from the floor of the body of water.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of a swimming board embodying my invention, taken with the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a swimming board embodying my invention, in use;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken on line 2-2 on Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded view showing the parts of a swimming board made of three separate parts, secured together as a whole;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing a slight modification, with an arm hook instead of arm cords, as seen in Fig. 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a small box mounted on the end of the board for holding articles which the swimmer may pick up from the bottom or floor of the body of water in which he swims.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my swimming board as here shown is designated as a whole, 6, and is composed of three parts, designated 6*, 6 and 6, with the front opposite corners beveled and provided with strap irons, as at 7, 7, whereby to give added strength thereto and a wearing surface to the front edge which moves through the water.

Two tow lines, as 8, 8, are attached to the opposite ends of the swimming board, as at 8, 8', in alinement with each other, and are brought together and attached to a hitch ring 9, to which a main tow cable is connected for pulling said swimming board, as from a power boat.

The main feature of the invention is the provision of a hand grip or bar, designated 11, toward the front edge of the board, and in substantial alinement with the hitch S, 8, of the two lines 8, 8, with arm loops, as 12, near the rear edge of the board, and under which the arms are inserted to grasp the grip bar 11, as shown in Fig. 1. When the swimmer uses both hands, the arms are inserted through the outer arm loops 12, 12, and both hands grasp the hand bar 11 at a space apart and the board is balanced. If he desires one arm free, the swim mer inserts his arm through the middle arm loop, as indicated in light broken lines in Fig. 11, and thus the opposite ends of the board are equal and therefore balanced, and the swimmers other arm and hand are free to pick up articles he may Wish to get.

In Fig. 4, I have indicated how an arm hook 13, can be used, if desired instead of the arm loops, and it is then only necessary to move the arm laterally under said hook, and the front edge of the board can be rocked or tilted up and down to direct its movement. With the arm or arms through the arm loops 12, the swimmer can tilt the front or advancing edge of the board up or down, as desired, and it will pull him up to the surface, or will pull him down under the surface, according to the tilt of the front edge of said board.

In Fig. 5, l have also indicated how a small box or container, as 14, can be mounted on the board, with tapered front edge to move through the water.

My original board was made in one piece, but I have shown the present embodiment of the invention made in three parts, and secured together with dowel pins and holes, as at 15, 15.

One the under side of said board, I have also shown two spaced cross pieces or members, as 16, 16, rounded at their forward ends, as at 16'. These members not only strengthen the board, but also act as fixed guides or rudders.

I am aware that changes can be made in the details of construction and arrangement here shown for explanatory purposes, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore limit the invention to these details, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. A swimming board of the character shown, including: a board to rest flatwise on the water, two tow lines connected to its opposite ends, in axial alinement with each other, and brought together in front of said board for towing it edgewise through the water, hand gripping means toward the front edge of said board, in the plane of said board, means on said board toward its rear edge to overlie the arm of a swimmer as he grasps said hand gripping means, whereby said swimmer by raising his arm can tilt said board on the longitudinal axis between the tow line connections, to direct said board up or down at will.

2. A swimming board as set forth in claim 1 having two spaced, transverse rudder members on the under side of said board to prevent endwise movement.

3. A swimming board of the character shown including: a board, two tow lines connected at its opposite ends, in longitudinal alinement with each other and on a longitudinal axis on which said board can be tilted up and down, whereby said board can be pulled edgewise through the water, said board having openings therethrough to form hand grips in the plane of said board, whereby a swimmer can tilt said board to direct it down into the water or to direct it to the surface of the water,

3 and means on said board toward the rear edge thereof to overlie the swimmers arm to facilitate the tilting of said swimming board for directing it up and down in the Water.

4. A swimming board as set forth in claim 3, having two longitudinally spaced cross members on its under side as fixed rudder-like members to retard endwise movement of said board.

1,104,441 Nelsen July 21, 1914 McCarty Apr. 10, 1917 Pierce Apr. 24, 1917 Whiting Apr. 2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS France July 10, 1905 Germany Mar. 2, 1934 Germany July 8, 1949 

